Ernst Goes Camping in the Great Smokies

[melville]

I didn't know the Clampers were active that far north - I always thought of them more as California gold rush connected - with a little dabbling in the Comstock Lode (Julia C. Bulete Chapter - I mean, how can you not have a chapter for the black madam of Virginia City?).

I don't know how far north clampers go. I did see an ECV marker in Oregon on this trip. I do know that this is the westernmost ECV marker:



Found right at this geocache:

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC59 ... lighthouse

Where I'm still the only one to find the object.

Airbear, no one ran a generator at night this trip. Nighttime generating, I object to.

[Rob]

https://youtu.be/3w4B7QxL_n4


Never heard of clampers before.
Impressive find, mel!

[Major Softie]

Never heard of clampers before.

They're a west coast thing, but even here lots of people don't know about them. My dad was a Clamper, so I'm very familiar with them. My dad was very fond of California history . . . and alcohol. He was a natural Clamper.

[Rob]

Never heard of clampers before.

They're a west coast thing, but even here lots of people don't know about them. My dad was a Clamper, so I'm very familiar with them. My dad was very fond of California history . . . and alcohol. He was a natural Clamper.

Danced a jig or two in his time?

Edit: interesting read! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Clampus_Vitus

[Major Softie]

Edit: interesting read! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Clampus_Vitus

Yeah, their Wikipedia entry was clearly written by themselves - it's filled with their sense of humor.

[bbelk]

Melville will soon be a Glamper himself....

Here's our next project:

And Mrs. Melville will be able to say...

[jagarra]

Yeah, but that fancy yellow 2 seater in the first picture won't be able to pull that. Is there a SUV in the future?

[melville]

Yeah, but that fancy yellow 2 seater in the first picture won't be able to pull that. Is there a SUV in the future?

Nor will the VWs! We have this now:



The pic was taken to show the ash from the fires a few weeks ago, so it's not a full pic. It's a GMC extended cab 2500 pickup. At 11 mpg (so far) we have pretty strict protocols for using it--dump, lumberyard, or towing. We're hoping to load it up like bbelk does his in a few years--moto in the bed, bicycles and kayaks (and surfboards) on top--and hit the highway towing the tenement on wheels.

[melville]

Last installment. After another fine night camping, I woke up early. Too darned early. So I read for a couple hours (Bill Bryson's The Lost Continent) and in the morning twilight broke camp and loaded up for the trip home. This guy was hanging out when I got up:



I got to go back up the fabulous section of Hwy 3. I really need to go back with a sumo bike, warmed slicks, and the road closed off and swept, someday. What a road.

I had originally intended to camp at Lewiston Lake, closer to Weaverville, and spend this last day running to Redding, Red Bluff, and then over the full western bit of Hwy 36 to home. But it was not to be. Hwy 36 was closed and still is closed 10 days later due to fires in Trinity county. So this is my alternate route:



There were some geocaches to find on the way:

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC1FK59_hayden-hotel

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC12 ... ith-a-view

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC3AFRJ_38n04

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC13 ... -or-spoons

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5A ... the-salmon

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5A ... a-d-a-pg34

Here's the scenery around the Hayden Hotel cache:









That's pretty much the whole town of Callahan. The Emporium may be a functioning business, but not at 0630!

Next up was going to Cecilville over Carter Summit. Great road, in great shape. The Pacific Crest Trail runs over Carter Summit, and the geocache there promised a view. I found the cache, but the only view was of the smoke. After Cecilville, the road changed dramatically as it ran through the narrow Salmon River canyon. The canyon is narrow, and the road clings to the side of the canyon, 1 to 1 1/2 lanes wide. Here's the canyon. You can make out the road on the left side:



Eventually I made it to Forks of Salmon, where I picked up the last three geocaches and saw this curiosity:





After that, it was just a great ride back home over Hwys 96 and 299. Muriel seemed glad to see me and had not sold any of my stuff. Thanks for following along.

[Rob]

Sumo bike???